Ibrahim Pasha Mosque Restoration

The Ibrahim Pasha Mosque is located in the town of Razgrad. This striking and monumental building was commissioned in 1614, (AH 1206 is inscribed above the entrance) by the Turkish governor Ibrahim Pasha.

The Ibrahim Pasha Mosque was vandalised by the youth of the town of Razgard. They broke the windows and smashed the minbar. As the building was in poor condition, this act of vandalism galvanised the authorities to restore the mosque. The city authorties were in the process of revitalising their town square and did not want an eyesore at its northern end. The Mouschanovs were commissioned to design an appropriate restoration. They drew up detailed plans and elevations of the building, including a historically accurate reconstruction of the original stone portico that had once framed the entrance based on evidence uncovered during their excavation of the site. Work has continued intermittently on this mosque from 1971 to 1989 when it finally came to a total halt because of a lack of funds. The building is locked up and virtually abandoned. The scaffolding is still up in the interior of the mosque, but is rusting. At present, Bulgaria does not have the funds to restore any of its many monuments, in fact, the financial situation in this country seems desperate. It will, therefore, be many years before any authority, municipal or otherwise, has the means to complete the restoration of this mosque